Huntsville laundromats and bowling alleys filled with old-style arcade games

Glenn Baeske / THE HUNTSVILLE TIMESLaQuisha Burton (age 6) plays Ms. Pac-Man at the 5 Points Self Service Laundromat while her mom, LaTesha Marbruy of Huntsville, took care of the laundry.

HUNTSVILLE, AL -- Next Friday, America will slow down. Thousands of people will call out sick from work. Fingers will hurt for days. That's because Aug. 14 is the day Madden NFL 10 comes out.
The highly anticipated sports game franchise will be released on PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, XBox 360 and the Nintendo Wii.

In other words, if your significant other plans to buy Madden NFL 10 next week, don't expect to see him or her for at least four days.

So what are you, the not-so-accomplished gamer supposed to do? Not everyone can simultaneously pound 17 buttons while staring at a 50-inch plasma screen TV. Whatever happened to the days when video games consisted of a joystick, one button and lots of spaceships?

Well, here in Huntsville those days aren't completely gone. So, get out and experience video games the way they were meant to be played: standing up and by the quarter.

Here's where you'll find some of the best spots for old-school games, such as Pac-Man, Street Fighter II and Pole Position, in the Rocket City.

In no way is this list complete, please add to the comments section some other cools spots in Huntsville to find old arcade games.

Where: Southern Adventures, 2150 Leeman Ferry CircleGames: More than 30 games including such classics as The Simpsons and X-MenLowdown: In Konami's 1991 arcade classic The Simpsons, Bart, Lisa, Marge and Homer again must save Maggie from Burns and Smithers. Several actors from the TV show provided their voices for the video game.

Where: Carousel Skate Center, 1201 Winner Ave.Games: More than 10 games including NFL Blitz and Marvel SuperheroesLowdown: Besides NBA Jams ("Boom Shakalaka"), NFL Blitz is one of the coolest, most fast-paced sports game out there.

Where: Super Kleen Laundromat, 2417 Jordan LaneGames: Galaga, Ms. Pac-Man and RoadblastersLowdown: Sure, Galaga and Ms. Pac-Man have already made the list. But the machines at Super Kleen are the 1980s originals.

Where: Classic Arcade and Pizza, 127 Merritt Drive in New HopeGames: More than 15 games, including Altered BeastLowdown: Fighting through ancient Greece as a half-man/half-beast never felt so good. The side-scroller beat-'em-up game later became a hit on Sega Genesis.